A study published in Frontiers in Immunology has found an antiviral that helps with virus clearance and reducing inflammatory proteins in COVID-19 patients. Researchers had delved into the possibility that this particular antiviral might work after looking at how it performed in studies during the SARS outbreaks in the early 2000s.
In the present study, the antiviral, interferon-a2B, not only reduced the time of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the respiratory tract, but also lowered blood levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein. Lead author Eleanor N. Fish said, “Treatment with interferon will override the inhibitory effects of the virus."
SOURCE: Newswise May 15, 2020